Vaudreuil (Quebec, Canada) Irish

A small group of people have come together to study the history of a no longer extant Irish community that formed on the flanks of Rigaud mountain in southwestern Quebec in the county of Vaudreuil in the early part of the Nineteenth Century. It survived for approximately one hundred years, when it became clear to all still residing in the area that assimilation into the surrounding French community, and migration out of the community had taken it toll.

What we would like to do is not only study the history of this community, but also trace the migratory patterns of the families that once composed the community. To this end, we are posting this message to those forums or lists that research those family names that are of interest to us.

The following is a listing of the family names of most of the families that composed the community. Some of these surnames re present two and even three households.

If we have forgotten to include a family name that should be on this list, please forgive us. No slight was intended. Please, do bring the name to our attention. Please note that the spellings may vary with time, for instance, we know that Dunnigan is also spelled Donegan, and Riley may be O'Riley.

If you know that your family originates in one of the following Roman Catholic parishes (Ste-Madeleine de Rigaud, Ste-Marthe de Vaudreuil, or St-Michel de Vaudreuil), and are willing to share information with others, please contact Sylvain Desforges at the following e-mail address:

dyca@videotron.ca

I will direct you to the those individuals in the group researching specific names.